1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for controlling oil and fat content in cooked food. More particularly, this invention relates to such a process which utilizes animal muscle protein in a suspension form derived from animal muscle protein to control oil and fat content in food and to the food product utilized in the process.
2. Description of Related Art
Prior to the present invention, foods such as meat, vegetables, fish, nuts, pastry, fritters, doughnuts or the like cooked at an elevated temperature in oil and/or fat absorbed that oil and/or fat. These cooking processes are commonly referred to as “deep fat frying” or as “sautéing”. When the food is only partially cooked in fat and/or oil, the cooked food is referred to as “par fried”. The fried food then is subsequently fully cooked such as by baking. When cooked in this manner, the cooked food undesirably absorbs the fat or oil thereby reducing its nutritional and dietary value.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,163,707 describes the use of proteins from animal muscle tissue that are in soluble form and at pH of either 3.5 or less or between pH 10.5-12. These soluble forms of such proteins may have some limitations in reducing fat absorption if certain alkali metal concentrations, such as salt or leavening agents, are exceeded as described in Int. Pat. No. WO2011/101664. It has also been proposed to reduce fat or oil absorption by the food during cooking by coating the food with a substance such as pectin prior to contacting the food with the heated oil or fat. However, this approach is undesirable since significant oil or fat absorption by the food still occurs.